ABSTRACT (FROM THE APPLICATION): VSA Educational Services, Inc., in collaboration with the National Network for Youth, proposes to design and disseminate a national awareness and information campaign to prevent problems related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) among homeless and runaway girls, ages 12 to 16. While living on the streets or away from home and parental supervision, these youth are highly vulnerable to ATOD abuse. Usually lacking marketable skills, they are frequently drawn into shoplifting, prostitution, or dealing drugs to earn money or in exchange for shelter. These circumstances call for a specially designed communications campaign that addresses ATOD prevention as well as collateral issues such as sexuality, HIV/AIDS, and early pregnancy. The proposed communications campaign will target both young homeless and runaway females and the gatekeepers for this audience. Focusing efforts on homeless shelters, transportation networks, and youth gathering places, the campaign strategy is two pronged: (1) the design and dissemination of prevention messages targeted directly to the young women and (2) the design and dissemination of information and intervention strategies for the gatekeepers who work with this population. This communications campaign will be developed with the direct involvement of the target audience and gatekeepers. Using a series of focus groups, the best way to present and deliver prevention messages will be determined. How to incorporate prevention messages into existing programs for the target audience will also be determined. Development and dissemination efforts will be led by a design team composed of experts, front-line services providers, and members of the target audience. The overall outcome of this project will be the enhancement of the prevention of ATOD among homeless and runaway female adolescents. This will be achieved by designing a message that directly speaks to the target audience and by teaching the gatekeepers of this population how to recognize ATOD abuse, counsel on ATOD, and intervene or refer appropriately. In addition to reducing the prevalence of ATOD abuse in this population, this campaign should also reach a wider range of adolescents across the country who frequent the same gathering places as the homeless and runaway young people.